SIN AGAINST GOD

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 31 January 2013

Hi all,

It’s a brave and foolish man who would dare to suggest that there is nothing wrong with sin. On a number of occasions I’ve heard people defending their actions because they can’t help it. They have to have it – no matter what “it” is. “God knows me and He understands”, they say. But it is not true regardless of the “it”. A drug addict or an alcoholic can be dried out. In some cases the person is “put to sleep” while the worst of the withdrawal symptoms are experienced. Others are “dried out” in places of care which specialise in such practices. Some are just thrown into a “padded cell” and left to dry out. The problem for us all is we don’t know the nature of sin. Sin is anything that misses the mark of God’s perfection! His pass-mark is 100% obedience from the cradle to the grave. People don’t realise that 99.99% is a failure. What about you and me? We must realise that not stopping at a stop street misses the mark of God’s perfection. In God’s economy, it’s as serious as murder or adultery. It is sin. We may categorize them in degrees of wickedness. But the final outcome is death. Adam bombed out by eating what he was told not to eat. He didn’t kill anyone. He was out; thrown out of Eden. He could never return. Did the punishment fit the crime? I think it did. How about you? Today’s meditation is about sin.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Thursday, 31 January 2013			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
©	These devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it is for non-commercial Christian purposes					©
INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	Sin Against God
Sin! What can we say about it? Not much, other than the fact that we love it! The people of the world sincerely believe that basically, we are good people who have gone wrong. What we need is sympathy and a bit of understanding. Perhaps a visit to a Psychiatrist or a Psychologist will straighten us up and then we will be fine. But it isn’t true. Each and every one of us is a “monster of iniquity” who loves their sin. We aren‘t looking for salvation because we think it’s unnecessary. We will continue with this opinion until we learn that sin is no laughing matter. It is a deadly cancer that destroys us all During every revival, people have been made aware of the enormity of their sin and the terrible consequences thereof. For this to happen on a local, national or international scale requires the intervention of the Holy Spirit. Without His intervention our efforts are perfunctory at best. He is the only one who can bring an awareness of sin to the listeners. Because of this, the likes of Wesley, Whitefield, and Finney, to mention only three, commenced every meeting by preaching on the topic of sin. They knew that in every revival, the listeners had to be aware of the enormity of their rebellion against God. As a result, they commenced every series of meetings by preaching about sin and its consequences. They would continue with this topic until the people came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The people would begin crying out to the Lord for forgiveness. Many of them would pass out and fall down under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. Then there would be a call to receive salvation. This was no “half baked” repentance. Under the ministry of John Wesley Redfield, the jails became empty. The police were told that if they came across anyone lying in the gutter they were to go and smell the persons’ breath. If there was no trace of alcohol, they were to leave the person exactly where they were. That person had Redfield’s disease. This meant that when they awoke, if they had been drunkards, they would drink no more. If they were thieves, they would steal no more. Redfield’s disease transformed the individual into a God-fearing believer. Similar tales can be quoted about examples from the lives of other men of God. If they walked into the gates of a factory, workers would pass out and others would cry out to the Lord for salvation. We no longer see these signs of revival. Why not? I think it is because we no longer preach about the consequences of sin. Instead we fill our pulpits with popular men who preach ear tickling pabulum that does not touch the heart. We would rather hear motivational messages, prosperity and irrelevant drivel. Sure it brings in money. But does it touch the hearts and lives of sinners? What do you think? Jim & Phyllida Strickland			25 If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede?" But Eli's sons wouldn't listen to their father, for the LORD was already planning to put them to death. 1 Sam 2:25 NLT 1 My dear children, I'm writing this to you so that you will not sin. But suppose someone does sin. Then we have one who speaks to the Father for us. He stands up for us. He is Jesus Christ, the Blameless One. 2 He gave his life to pay for our sins. But he not only paid for our sins. He also paid for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2 NIrV 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for He was looking ahead and including them in what He would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate His righteousness, for He Himself is fair and just, and He declares sinners to be right in His sight when they believe in Jesus. Rom 3:25-26 NLT 24 He'll be gracious to him. He'll say to God, "Spare him from going down into the grave. I know a way that can set him free.' Job 33:24 NIrV 31 What should we say then? Since God is on our side, who can be against us? 32 God did not spare his own Son. He gave him up for us all. Then won't he also freely give us everything else? 33 Who can bring any charge against God's chosen ones? God makes us right with himself. 34 Who can sentence us to death? Christ Jesus is at the right hand of God and is also praying for us. He died. More than that, he was raised to life. Rom 8:31-34 NIrV	There is an understanding that people seldom know. It’s all about what happens when into sin we go. We sin against a person. Perhaps we steal his tie. We think that it looks pretty, although it makes him cry. We’ve taken from him something and said it is our own. Of course that is deception and sin in us has grown. Perhaps it’s not important; not from our point of view. But we have just committed an act we should not do. Perhaps the value’s minimal. A Rand or two at most. And so we soothe our conscience, until the Holy Ghost, Reminds us we have stolen and that we are a thief. And that until we’ve put it right, there will be no relief, From what is deep inside us. Our conscience has been pricked. And even if we give it back, the problem isn’t licked. In fact it never can be! We’ve sinned against the Lord. The value’s not important. We have released His sword, This brings His retribution. We’ve disobeyed His Word; And everything we say or do, by God is seen and heard. So every sin committed is not just against man. It is a violation of Father’s Holy plan! But can we be forgiven? The answer’s yes and no. Forgiven for the action, but the consequences grow! I think it’s very fortunate the cost of sin is death. No matter what a man has done, after that final breath There’s nothing more for us pay. We cannot die again. A Christian knows for certain and the Bible makes this plain. We do not keep on dying for sin repeatedly. Perhaps that is what we deserve. But no more will that be. So Jesus can forgive me. The record is wiped clean, But only ‘cause He’s paid the price for all that I have been! So every sin committed is marked up on our slate. And we will surely die for it, upon some future date. But Jesus Christ our Master came and took my place. So there is not another death which I will have to face. There’s one consideration. Repentance from our sin, Determined that it’s over, we will not take part in, Another repetition of what we have just done. It’s over and it’s done with. From now on, we will shun, Anything and everything the deed in fact implies. Then we’ll be forgiven. But don’t use a disguise, And show a false repentance. Then things will not have changed. This will make it very clear we’re mentally deranged. Perhaps you’ll find it easy to make a fool of me. But Jesus knows about it. You can’t fool Deity! Jim Strickland  Written 31st January 2012